The present invention relates generally to rigid inflatable boats, and more particularly to an improved sponson and rigid inflatable boats incorporating the same.
Rigid inflatable boats, or RIBs, have rigid hulls and buoyant tubes, or sponsons, which extend along at least the sidewalls of the hulls to provide buoyancy thereto. Typically, the sponsons are inflatable tubes, such as are commonly used on inflatable boats used for rafting. An example of a known RIB is shown in FIG. 1 and generally indicated at 10. As shown, RIB 10 has a rigid hull 12 and one or more buoyant air-filled tubes 14 extending along the sidewalls 16 of the hull. At the rear of the RIB, a transom 18 extends between tubes 14. Examples of known RIBs with air-filled buoyant tubes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,779,555, 5,651,328, 6,006,690, and 6,024,042, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Other RIBs include foam-filled sponsons, or combinations of air- and foam-filled sponsons. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,459, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Still a further example of known RIBs has an inflatable tube removably secured to the hull by a hook-and-loop fastener, and a foamed portion that extends from the hull and around the tube. The tube is secured to the hull by the hook-and-loop fastener, and the foamed portion is secured proximate the hull by a cover or sheath that extends from the hull and around the foamed portion.
The present invention is directed to an improved sponson and rigid inflatable boats incorporating the same. The sponson includes a non-inflatable buoyant component, such as closed-cell polyethylene, and an inflatable buoyant component, such as one or more inflatable tubes. The boat includes a rigid hull having sidewalls along which one or more of the improved sponsons extend. In some embodiments, the inflatable component is removably secured to the non-inflatable component by a restraining structure. In some embodiments, the restraining structure includes straps. In some embodiments, the restraining structure includes resilient arms that bias the inflatable component within a pocket formed in the non-inflatable component.